Team Galactic
Team Galactic is the villainous team in Sinnoh. Unlike previous villainous teams, their goal is not limited to the Pokémon world, but is the recreation of the entire Pokémon universe. Team Galactic appears only in the Sinnoh game trio of ; however, unlike their Generation III counterparts of Team Magma and Team Aqua, their impact on the storyline is not affected on which of the primary pair is being played until the end (varying in the Pokémon they summon), though their role does expand in the third version. In Diamond and Pearl Team Galactic first appears in Jubilife City, harassing Professor Rowan and his assistant, and trying to get them to give over Rowan's research, with the player returning from Oreburgh City just in time to help. After this, the player's next encounter with the organization in the Valley Windworks, where Mars heads up a scheme to steal energy for use in their activities. After she has been defeated in the Valley Windworks, Team Galactic's building in Eterna City remains as a stronghold on the western side of the region. Jupiter runs the show here, possibly using the area as a base closer to the central media in Jubilife so as to reduce travel time for new commercials for Team Galactic, though this is unknown. Team Galactic's leader, Cyrus, is first encountered shortly after this, as the player travels through the south cave of Mt. Coronet for the first time, though he does not give his name, and it is not implied at all that he is in any way involved with the group. After this, Team Galactic remains low on the radar for a while, not appearing again until Veilstone City, where their base is set up. After the player beats Maylene, Rowan's assistant will ask for his or her help in defeating two Team Galactic Grunts (the same as those in Jubilife City), who have stolen her or his Pokédex and refuse to return it. Eventually, after Crasher Wake is defeated, a single Grunt loitering near the entrance to the Great Marsh will claim to have a bomb but run away when he is overheard. The player must chase him all the way to the entrance to Lake Valor , where he will finally battle, and will run off scared due to his defeat. In Celestic Town, the player defeats a Grunt who plans on wrecking the place, and is then confronted by Cyrus, who reveals that he is the leader of Team Galactic before issuing a threat and leaving. Team Galactic will then vanish from the radar until after the player has met with his or her , Rowan, and Rowan's assistant in the Canalave Library after Byron has been defeated, where it will be found that they are responsible for a huge explosion at Lake Valor, originally mistaken for a tremor. After Saturn is defeated here and Mars at Lake Verity, Team Galactic will block the player's way to Lake Acuity from its lakefront until Candice has been bested, and Jupiter will have defeated the rival before the player has arrived. From here, Team Galactic's final push remains, with a showdown occurring at Team Galactic HQ in Veilstone City after an initial infiltration, and then a trek to the highest part of Mt. Coronet to stop Cyrus from summoning or to destroy and remake the universe. Here the rival teams up with the player to defeat Mars and Jupiter together, while Cyrus and the Legendary Pokémon remain as a final challenge. After the Pokémon is either defeated or captured, Cyrus will tell the player he is not finished and will try once again to remake the universe for himself, but will not be seen again afterward, with the assets of Team Galactic left to Saturn. In Platinum Several events change from Diamond and Pearl to Platinum, most significantly the fact that Cyrus appears at the beginning of the game at Lake Verity and again in Eterna City, and the addition of Charon to the cast of Team Galactic, introducing him at the same time as Mars. Looker, an international police officer, will tail Team Galactic throughout the game, but will not arrive in time to stop them at any point, as the player will have already defeated them. Aside from this, not too many alterations are made. However, Cyrus will appear and battle with the player in Celestic Town, while Charon will assist with the penultimate stage of the Red Chain experiment. It is also stated that the plaques on the Eterna City statue of Dialga and Palkia in Diamond and Pearl have been removed by vandals, later revealed to be Team Galactic itself, for research by Cyrus. Through this the full text of the plaques can be discovered in the Team Galactic HQ later in the games. Instead of only Dialga or Palkia being summoned at the Spear Pillar, Cyrus creates a duplicate of the Red Chain to harness both of their powers, knowing the instability it would cause in the universe. The plot extends past the Spear Pillar, with drawing Cyrus into the Distortion World to prevent the destruction of spacetime, and Cynthia and the player following after to make sure that the hole ripped in the fabric of spacetime by Giratina is closed so as to not destroy the world. After Giratina is defeated or captured, Cyrus chooses to stay in the Distortion World, leaving Team Galactic's assets in Saturn's hands, as in the end of Diamond and Pearl. However, when the player journeys to the Battle Zone after becoming the Champion, Charon is revealed to still be plotting, with a plan to ransom money from the citizens of Sinnoh by threatening to cause Stark Mountain to erupt. Mars and Jupiter join him in this venture in hopes of finding Cyrus, but decide to quit when defeated by the player once more, and Charon goes alone into Stark Mountain's deepest cave. It is here where he is finally arrested by Looker, restoring Sinnoh's safety. * Galactic